Find practical and area specific information to help plan DofE expeditions. This includes details about access, parking, camping, local hazards, event dates and useful contacts.

To protect our landscapes and the communities who live and work in them, expedition groups must plan carefully, understand local access arrangements, and behave responsibly at all times.

Countryside Code and Outdoor Access

When you’re on a DofE Expedition, you must follow the relevant access guidance.

• England and Wales: the Countryside Code
• Scotland: the Scottish Outdoor Access Code
• Northern Ireland: the Northern Ireland Countryside Code

Access rights and where you can go

You have the right to access certain areas of land for walking and other leisure activities. This includes:

• Public roads
• Pavements
• Public rights of way like footpaths and bridleways
• Open access land.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, public rights of way are marked with signs or coloured arrows, such as yellow for footpaths and blue for bridleways. You can find these routes on Ordnance Survey maps.

In Scotland, information about rights of way is available through the charity Scotways.

Respecting landowners and local communities

Many expedition areas include working farmland, privately owned estates, conservation sites and areas of active land management.

Please make sure that all groups:

• Follow local guidance on routes, camping and parking
• Respect seasonal restrictions, livestock, wildlife and land management activities
• Leave no trace by taking all litter home
• Camp only where permitted and keep group impact to a minimum
• Are courteous to residents, farmers, estate staff and other countryside users.

Poor planning or inappropriate behaviour can lead to complaints, damage to sensitive areas and reduced access for future groups. By planning well and respecting the people who care for these places, you help protect expedition areas for years to come.

Local expedition area guidance

We’ve made a list of links to the national parks’ websites you can follow for local information like:

• Access restrictions and temporary closures
• Parking guidance
• Campsites
• Hazards and weather considerations
• Local events and seasonal restrictions
• Useful resources and local contacts.

The Expedition Supervisor should check this information as part of their planning process. For more information on planning DofE Expeditions, read the DofE Expedition Guide.